Liquid discharging and collecting apparatus for cleaning



NW0 211, E90? L. F. THOMPSON fi fi LIQUID DISCHARGING AND COLLECTING APPARATUS FOR CLEANING Filed Sept. 15, 1943-5 4 Sheets-Sheet J.

Inventor NW. 21, mm L. F. THOMPSQN LIQUID DISCHARGING AND COLLECTING APPARATUS FOR CLEANING Filed Sept. 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NQV 2'11, W56) L. F. THQMPSON fi p LIQUID DISCHARGING AND COLLECTING APPARATUS FOR CLEANING Filed Sept. 13, 194 5 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 NW, 23, mm L. F. THOMPSON fibfififim LIQUID DISCHARGING AND COLLECTING APPARATUS FOR CLEANING Filed Sept. 15, 1945 4 Sheets-5heet 4 Attorneys Patented Nov. 21,1950

LIQUID DISCHARGIBIG AND CQLLECTIN G APPARATUS FOR GLEANING Lyman F. Thompson, Fayetteviile, Ark.

Application September 13, 1945, Serial No. 615,937

This invention relates to a suction mop for use in scrubbing floors, and the like.-

The principal object of the invention is to facilitate the cleaning of floors by the discharge at: of a soap solution and Water onto the floor in the vicinity of a suitable floor brush, and the collecting of the scrubbing fluid into a suitable waste receptacle.

Among its features, the invention embodies a mophead, a tube to convey liquid to the mophead, a suction tube to convey liquid away from the mophead, and means to direct a soap solution or clear water through the tube which conveys the liquid to the mophead, and means to convey the waste liquid through the suction tube to a suitable waste receptacle.

Other features include a suction pump for conveying the waste liquid to the 'waste receptacle and a pressure pump operated in unison with the suction pump for creating a head of pressure on the water and soap solution so as to force them to the mophead under certain conditions.

Still other features include a single valve provided with a group of ports so that when the -valve is turned to various difierent positions, soap solution may be directed to the mophead,

clear water may be directed to the mophead, or the waste liquid may be extracted from beneath the mophead and deposited in a waste recep- 3 tacle.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a suction mop embodying the features of this invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view as;

.Formed in the end wall of the housing 2| opthrough the mop housing containing the various tanks and pump and waste receptacle,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken 7 substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view 0': 'a

substitute pressure pump which may be employed in connection with this invention,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the mophead,

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the mophead,

Figure 7 is afragmentary enlarged detail view illustrating the manner in which the brush is supported in the mophead, mover 31 such as an electric motor, to the drive trated in Figure 8, 58

2 Claims. 51 C]. 1532l) through the cover on an enlarged scale illustrating in detail the pressure relief valve, and

Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one end or the squeegee employed on the mophead.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a cabinet, designated generall 26) comprising a substantially rectangular casing 2| formed intermediate its ends with a partition wall 22 which provides a closed chamber 23, is supported on suitable feet 24 which are in the form of runners, as will be readily appreciated upon reference to Figures 1 and 2. The casing 2! is provided with a top opening 25 through which communication of the chamber 23 is had with the atmosphere. A cover 26 having a depending flange 21 which is adapted to seat in a groove extending around the periphery of the opening 25 to close the opening, and suitable sealing means, such as a gasket 28, is arranged in the bottom of the groove to form an airtight seal between the cover and the chamber 23 when the clamp screws 29 are turned down to clamp the cover in place. A vertical partition wall 38 separates the sealed chamber 23 into a compartment 3| for the reception of soap solutions, and a second compartment of somewhat larger capacity 32 in which clear water is adapted to be contained.

posite that enclosing the chamber 23 is an handle 35 by means of which the receptacle may be introduced into or withdrawn from the interiorof the casing. i above the upper, open side of the waste receptacle 34 is a shelf or platform 36 on which the .pump mechanism to be more fully hereinafter .described is supported.

Extending horizontally Mounted on the shelf or platform 36 is a prime shaft of which is connected the impeller 38 of the suction pump will be discharged into the waste receptacle 34. The intake port of the suction pump is connected to a pipe 42 which leads outwardly through an opening 43 in the wall of the casing above the opening 33 previously referred to. Connected through a gear train 44 to the drive shaft of the motor or prime mover 37 is the piston of a pressure pump 45, the discharge 46 of which is connected through a pipe 4! with the upper end of the chamber 23 so that, as the motor 31 operates, fluid pressure will be generated in the chamber over the top of the liquids contained in the compartments 3| and 32. A pipe 48 leads from the bottom of the compartment 32 and through the interior of the casing 2| to a point near the pipe 42 where it is connected to a discharge coupling 49 (Fig. 12) and a similar pipe 50 leads from the bottom of the compartment 3| through the casing to a coupling Connected to the pipe 42 is a suction hose 52 and connected to the couplings 49 and 5| are liquid conveying flexible hoses 53 and 54, respectively, (Fig. 9).

A mophead, designated generally 55, comprises a substantially funnel shaped nozzle 56 which terminates at one end in a socket 51 and at its opposite end in a downwardly extending nose 58 having a downwardly directed slot 59, which, when the device is in use, lies in close proximity to the surface or floor being cleansed. Carried by the nose 58 is an inverted U-shaped channel Gil in which a squeegee blade 6! is removably supported. Secured to a horizontally "extending rectangular plate 62 and extending downwardly from the underside thereof is a brush 63 which is held in yielding engagement with the surface being cleansed by means of compression coil springs 64 which surround bolts 65 which extend upwardly through the plate 82 and are adjustably secured therein by means of wing nuts 55 (Fig. 1). It will be understood, of course, that the bolts 65 extend through openings formed in the brush head in alignment with the openings in the plate 62. Leading upwardly from the socket 5'? is a suction tube 51 and attached to the underside of the suction tube is a liquid conveying tube 65, the lower end of which terminates in a downwardly directed discharge nozzle 59 located on the side of the brush opposite the nose 58 of the nozzle 55. The tubes 5'! and 58 are coextensive and are connected to coupling nipples l5 and H, respectively, of a valve designated generally 12, to be more fully hereinafter described.

The valve 12 above referred to is best illustrated in Figures 8 through 11, inclusive, and comprises a valve body '53 formed substantially midway of its length with aligning ports '74 and carrying coupling sockets l6 and I! to which the ends of the hose 52 and the tube 51 are respectively coupled. Formed in the valve body 13 in parallel relation with the port 15 and directly beneath said port is a port 18, while similar ports is and 8|] which diverge toward the outside of the valve body are arranged on the same level with the port 18. Connected to the port 18 is the liquid conveying tube 68, while liquid conveying hoses 53 and 54 are respectively connected to the ports 19 and 80; Rotatably mounted in the valve body 13 is a turning plug 8| which is provided substantially midway of its length with a transversely extending port 82 adapted, when the plug is in one position, 'to establish communication between the ports 14- and 'i5.- A port 83 extends transversely'of "the turning plug 8| on a level with the ports 18, I9 and 80, but the axis of the port 83 is perpendicular to the axis of the port 82 so that when communication between the ports 14 and I5 is established, communication between the ports 18, 19, and 80 will be interrupted. The turning plug 8! is provided with an extension 84 carrying a handle 85 and an index pointer 86 which is adapted to cooperate with indices 81 formed on the outer side of a cap 88 carried by the valve body 13 in indicating the position of the turning plug 8| within the body.

Formed in the cover 25 is an internally screw threaded opening 89 for the reception of a spring actuated pressure release valve 90 and formed in the cover 26 is an internally screw threaded opening 9| which normally is closed by a plug 92. This plug, however, may be removed and should it be desirable, a hand pump 93 may be threaded into the opening 9| in place of the plug so that if, for any reason, the pump should fail to operate, fluid pressure may be created within the chamber 23. This pump may also be used in case it is found desirable to omit the pump 45 should a cheaper or less complicated device be preferred.

In operation, it will be understood that when the prime mover or motor 3! is driven, the suction pump 39 will be set into motion and also the pressure pump 45 will be driven, thus creating fluid pressure over the liquid contained in the compartments 3| and 32. Upon turning the turning plug 8| of the valve 72, the port 83 may be moved into registration with one or the other of the ports 79 or 85, thus establishing communication between one or 'the other of the compartments SI or 32 and the nozzle 69 carried by the mophead 55. Liquid will thus be discharged behind the brush 63 so that the scrubbing of the surface to be cleansed may proceed. When a suflicient supply of liquid has been applied to the surface to be cleansed, the turning plug 8| of the valve 72 is moved into the position illustrated in Figure 11 and the turning plug 81 is turned to a position to block the passages 79 and 80, thus to cut oif the supply of liquid to the tube 68 and nozzle 69. The scrubbing of the floor may then proceed, and when such scrubbing has been completed, the water and liquid which has been discharged onto the floor may be removed by turning the turning plug 8! into a position so that the port 82 therein registers with the ports 74 and I5, whereupon the waste liquid will be extracted 'by suction through the slot 59 and nozzle 56 into the suction tube 67 from which it passes through the valve and the hose 52 to the pump 39 through which it is discharged into the waste receptacle 34. The squeegee 6! tends to accumulate the liquid beneath the nose 58 of the nozzle 56 and to leave the surface over vhich it is being moved in a comparatively dry 5 ate,

It will thus be seen that a simple and efficient mop is provided which may readily accomplish the purpose for which it is intended.

While in the foregoing, there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: I

' 1. In a suction mop a base, a sealed chamber at one end of the base, a second chamber at the opposite end of the base adjoining the sealed chamber, the wall of the second chamber remote from the sealed chamber having an opening therethrough, a Waste receptacle removably entering the second chamber through the opening, a suction pump in the second chamber above the waste receptacle having its discharge directed toward the waste receptacle, a mophead having a liquid discharge nozzle adjacent its rear end, a suction nozzle carried by the mophead adjacent its forward end, a tubular .conduit coupling the liquid discharge nozzle with the sealed chamber, a second tubular conduit coupling the suction nozzle with the intake of the pump, a valve coupled to the conduits between the sealed chamber and the mophead and the pump and the mophead selectively to establish communication through said conduits between the liquid discharge nozzle and the sealed chamber, and the suction nozzle and the receptacle, and a pressure pump and a suction pump having means operatively associated therewith for simultaneous operation to create fluid pressure on the surface of liquid contained in the sealed chamber.

2. In a suction mop, a source of liquid, a source of liquid soap, a waste receptacle, a mophead, a mixing and control valve carried by the mop head, a tube carried by the mophead and con nected to the mixing side of the valve, said tube having a, discharge adiacent the rear of the mophead, a tube connected to the mixing side of the valve and to the source of liquid, a second tube connected to the source of soap and to the mixing side of the valve, a suction nozzle carried by the mophead opposite the discharge of the tube, a suction tube connected to the suction therewith to maintain the liquid and the liquid soap under pressure.

LYMAN F. THOMPSON.

'REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 930,628 Squier Aug. 10, 1909 1,059,136 Gafney Apr. 15, 1913 1,176,990 Scherff Mar. 28, 1916 1,268,962 Gray June 11, 1918 1,480,662 Carne Jan. 15, 1924 1,500,692 Wagoner July 8, 1924 1,661,480 Keefer Mar. 6, 1928 1,699,472 Breton Nov. 6, 1928 1,801,135 Blogg Apr. 14, 1931 1,975,380 Streich et al. Oct. 2. 1934 1,982,345 Kirby Nov. 27, 1934 2,177,987 Kelly Oct. 31, 1939 2,190,576 Sisman Feb. 13, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 395,695 Germany May 22, 1924 722,755 France Jan. 5, 1932 569,799 Germany Feb. 8, 1933 486,499 Great Britain June 1. 1938 

